French Touch Software today released a demo of WaterRace on Macgamefiles.com. WaterRace is an offshore power boat racing game that features unique characters, levels and ships, each having their own technical characteristics. The full game features a diversity of the circuits located in different parts of the world, with an incredible soundtrack to create a thrilling atmosphere.

Macsoft today announced that Driver for the Macintosh has gone gold and will be shipping in time for Christmas. The game will go well at retail for $29.99 and should be out in the stores by December 12th. In Driver you take on the role of Tanner an undercover cop used for driver-for-hire that infiltrates gangs. The game is set in many popular cities such as New York and Los Angeles, where you will drive a variety of Hollywood-style cars. Here is the press release:

PLYMOUTH, MN, December 5, 2000 - One of the most anticipated Macintoshreleases of the year , Driver, wheels towards home as MacSoft, anInfogrames, Inc. label (Nasdaq: IFGM) today announced that Driver iscomplete and has entered manufacturing. The game begins shipping throughoutNorth America on December 12.

„Driver draws its inspiration from those classic Hollywood muscle carmovies, and even includes a unique Director‚s Mode to record your own chasescenes,‰ said Cindy Swanson, Marketing Manager for MacSoft. „Withindividual pick-up-and-play driving games and a deep mission based mode,Driver is a perfect holiday gift for the Mac gamer.‰

In Driver, players assume the role of Tanner, a deep undercover cop posingas a driver-for-hire in order to infiltrate a powerful crime ring that spansfour of the nation‚s largest cities -- New York, Los Angeles, San Franciscoand Miami -- each of which has working traffic lights, wanderingpedestrians, moving traffic and vigilant cops on patrol making getaways moredifficult and menacing.

To capture the excitement of its high-speed Hollywood atmosphere, Drivercomes fully equipped with an innovative Director‚s Mode that gives playersall the necessary tools to „film‰ their own car chase. After completingeach mission, Driver allows players to go back through a virtual recordingof their slick getaway, reposition camera angles and placements, and evenre-cut scenes using editing tools.

Developed for the Macintosh by Abersoft, Driver is shipping December 12 andcarries a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Earlier today we brought you news that Gathering of Developers has acquired the rights to publish 3D Realms' Duke Nukem Forever. The press release failed to mention a Mac version, but given the fact that Gathering of Developers has been publishing nearly all their titles for the Mac, the odds are that it might come out for the Mac.

We contacted Jeff Smith at Gathering of Developers to get the official word on a Mac version. In a conversation via telephone, Smith said that they have tentative plans to bring DNF to the Mac, but that in all likelyhood the company would hire an outside firm to port the game to the Mac. Smith cautioned, however, that ultimately Mac sales of their current games would be the deciding factor.

So while this isn't an emphatic yes, it looks like Gathering of Developers is at least planning on making a Mac version of DNF. We'll keep you posted on any developments.

Sean Flaherty of BlackHoleSun Software recently informed us that his company is in need of Mac-savvy beta testers for their upcoming multiplatform multiplayer game Bunnies. This unique game will support Mac OS, multiple versions of Windows, Linux and BeOS, and features hare-raising (sorry, we just couldn't help ourselves) rabbit warfare in a deathmatch arena. Here is Sean's request:

Bunnies is in final beta at this moment. However, we are in need ofadditional Macintosh beta testers. Bunnies is a network multiplayercomical deathmatch game. Available for multi-users on one computer,over the LAN, or over the internet. Have hours of fun stomping out yourfamily and friends on your way to bunny dominance. As always, ouroriginal games are playable on Macintosh, Linux, Windows and BeOS.

If you are an experience Mac beta tester, be sure and visit the BlackHoleSun web site and sign up to test Bunnies.
BlackHoleSun SoftwareBunnies

Fantasoft has informed us that there is a minor update to their side-scroller Monkey Shines available at their web site. This patch is designed to counter a bug that resulted in crashes for a small number of users. Fantasoft is eager to hear feedback on this new update, so if you are a fan of this charming game, be sure to grab the patch and relate your experiences with it.

The Fantasoft web site itself has been revised and redesigned recently, and showcases their many Mac-friendly (and often Mac-only) products. Be sure and visit some of the other sections of the site and check out their current and future projects.

The Monkey Shines authors also wanted us to mention that they are preparing a demo for Monkey Shines II: Gorilla Warfare. This title just isn't a sequel to the original, it is a tremendous improvement, featuring 16-bit color, multiple-layer parallax scrolling and an included level editor for creating your own simian obstacle courses. The demo will be released as a public beta in the next few weeks.

For those who love turn-based strategic warfare, By Design Inc. has added yet another title to their long list of historically accurate battle simulations. Wagram 1809 is based on a historical battle between Napoleon and the Austrians just outside Vienna. Here are details from the press release:

By Design, Inc. proudly announces that we have completed a new Napoleonic wargame only for the Apple Macintosh.

This new game is based on the Waterloo Campaign engine but covers the battle between Napoleon and the Austrians outside of Vienna in the summer of 1809.

The game has the following exciting features:

Battalion level conflict, command hundreds of units!

Great new graphics, see hedge rows, streams, chateaux, and smoke clouds hang over the battlefield.

Skirmishers!

All the commanders down to the Division level are present.

Command your units as groups. You can move hundreds of units with a click of the mouse.

Capture enemies flags. Increase the pride of your troops when they carry back enemy flags from a melee.

Move units in formation by simply clicking where you want them to move to.

Multiple units per square.

Play either side and even switch sides in the middle of a battle.

The units are fully editable. Add or remove any unit from any battle. Change the characteristics of any unit.

Elegant, effortless interface. Lots of new interface features to help you understand your army and how to win.

3DRealms' full-3D sequel to their successful Duke Nukem series has been the butt of jokes ever since it missed its third E3 debut -- this game has been in development long enough to miss two whole generations of 3D cards. But it seems this wayward title is finally coming to a close, and it has finally found a publisher: "developer-driven" Gathering of Developers. 3DRealms and GoD announced today that they will publish Duke Nukem Forever upon completion, and in fact Take Two Interactive (GoD's parent company) has acquired the entire Duke Nukem catalog of games for PC, console and handheld platforms.

DNF is based on the Unreal graphics engine, which of course makes it a ripe possibility for a Mac OS port. Unfortunately, no one from 3DRealms has been willing to confirm this possibility in the past. Now that the title has been acquired by a company with a history of Mac OS releases, perhaps the odds have increased somewhat. We've made inquiries to the appropriate personnel, and we'll let you know what they had to say.

In the meantime, here are excerpts from the press release:

Developer-driven computer and video game publisher Gathering of Developers (g.o.d.) announced today that the company has acquired the PC publishing rights for the highly anticipated Duke Nukem Forever game, as part of a broad reaching deal made by Gathering?s parent company Take Two Interactive and former Duke Nukem publisher Infogrames. Duke Nukem Forever is being developed by 3D Realms and will be released by Gathering of Developers in the second half of 2001.

"As we have been committed to publishing cutting-edge games, it's obvious that Duke Nukem Forever belongs on the g.o.d. label," said Mike Wilson, CEO of Gathering. "Between this game and Max Payne, 3D Realms will be regarded as the undisputed king of both first-and third-person shooters by the end of next year. To be part of that has been a dream of Gathering's since our inception."

Taking place in and around Las Vegas, Duke Nukem Forever is the latest game in the incredibly popular Duke Nukem series and will feature Duke's infamous off-the-wall wisecracks. Using Epic Games' Unreal engine, Duke Nukem Forever strongly pushes the limits of gaming and gameplay for the first-person action genre, establishing new standards in interactivity, variety and pure fun. In keeping with the cinematic aspirations of 3D Realms, the game will be one of the first to support wide screen format and Dolby Digital surround sound.

Now that a publisher has been established, perhaps 3DRealms will be more forthcoming with details and screen shots of this game; we're sure many fans of the original Duke Nukem 3D are quite eager to see what 3DRealms has been working on for such a long time.3D RealmsGathering of Developers

Yesterday we brought you news that ex-Bungie employee Nathan Bitner had started his own gaming company, to be known as Island Four. In his announcement he mentioned what type of games his company was focusing on, who he had hired and when to expect the upcoming games. Unfortunately, he did not mention which platforms he would be developing for. To find out, we contacted Mr. Bitner and asked a few questions. Here is his reply:

I am pleased to bring you these early announcements:

- First of all, the name has passed copyright. In a few days (before theend of the week), I will announce the official name of Island Four SoftwareCorporation (There is still some paperwork to be completed).

- Second, I have received several inquiries about whether we will make gamesfor the Mac. Here is my answer:

It is much too early to make final decisions about platforms. We have yetto see how successful the new platforms will be, especially Microsoft'sX-Box. Strategic alliances are part of any fledgling company. The answeris that, right now, there is no answer. However, I can let you know mycurrent intention:

The vast majority of the work will be done on PCs. There will be someexceptions. The PC version will be made first. The game will then beported to the MacOS. The reason for this is that it is much easier tocreate the game first on a PC and port it to the Mac, rather than the otherway around.

We will have an outside entity that will assist us if the question ofconsole versions presents itself.

Our current hope and plan is to release PC and Mac versions simultaneously. A strategy regarding console systems has not yet been developed. Pleasekeep in mind that we are at an incredibly early stage. No decisions havebeen made and if they have, they couldn't possibly be final. Thesestatements our simply our "intentions" at this time.

Island Four Software Corp. is dedicated to bringing you an excitingEXPERIENCE that captures the imagination not only of our unique employees,but also of yours. That imagination will create and enhance our gameplay.Island Four will create experiences that "you can't put down," just likeyour favorite book. Have fun!

It is certainly good news to hear that the Mac OS is featured prominently in their future plans. We can't wait to see what they cook up!

Finally he ended his email with another even more remarkable announcement:

More news just in:

Because there is always an intense market for multiplayer gaming ... and ourvisions hold true to this demand ...

IslandFour.net has been registered as well under our company's name.

Make of it what you will.

He seems to have retained Bungie's skill at dangling tantalizing clues in front of gamers.

Apparently, a fan community is already developing around this fledgling company. Yesterday marked the debut of the first fan page dedicated to this new company; the fan page is known as Islandfour.org.

Finally, to round out the Island Four news, Marathon's Story received word from Mr. Bitner about what his partner Randy Cruts has written in the past:

He is already a decorated veteran and an international award-winning writer. His two books (he is about to publish a third) are Dive Into Terror and Controlled Insanity.

Connectix, makers of Virtual Game Station and RAM Doubler, has released version 4.0 of their PC Emulation product Virtual PC. Version 4 comes with some new features, including "growable" Windows disk images, support for Windows ME, and also support for the Velocity Engine, allowing a speed boost of up to 50% from previous versions, and support for the Apple Cinema Display. Version 4 can also handle up to 512MB allocated to the program. So what does this mean for gamers? Connectix says:

It all depends on the game, but a pretty good rule of thumb is that if won't run on last year's PC, it won't run well in Virtual PC. However, productivity software support is about 100 percent.

So, don't rush out and expect full compatibility, but if you want to finally give Age of Empires 2 a try on your Mac, boot up VPC and give it a shot.

Quake3World recently scored a large interview with the folks at id Software about their upcoming release of Quake 3: Team Arena. In the Q&A, a question about packaging was asked, and id noted that they are considering just having the Mac and Linux players buy the Windows version and download the appropriate applications from the Web, instead of shipping a specific boxed Mac version. Here's an excerpt:

If Team Arena is distributed on separate CDs for each OS, will you still be able to use the Windows CD to install Team Arena like you can with Quake 3 Arena?

Answer: The only SKU that I can say for certain as of this moment that will make it onto CD is the Windows version. Linux players will need to download binaries, and that may be required for Mac users. The data is interchangeable, just like Quake III Arena, so anyone buying the Windows CD version can run the game under Linux and Mac after downloading the appropriate binary.

Pangea Software, creators of Nanosaur and Bugdom, is offering 100 schools a chance to obtain a free site license of their recently released racing game, Cro-Mag Rally. Only K-12 public schools in the United States who use Macintosh computers are eligible. Here are the instructions for entering:

The school must send a letter to Pangea Software on official school letterhead (homemade, printed letterhead will not be accepted - itmust be on official school letterhead). The letter must be signed by thecomputer lab administrator or the school's principal. All entries must bereceived by January 15th, 2001:

Cro-Mag Rally Scholastic Giveaway

Pangea Software, Inc.

12405 John Simpson Court

Austin, TX 78732

For the schools who would still like a Cro-Mag Rally site license, but donot make the first 100 entries, Pangea Software is also making a publicannouncement that any school that buys one retail copy of Cro-Mag Rally may use that copy as a site-license for the entire school. This applies to all schools, public and private.Cro-Mag Rally Demo (40 MB)Pangea Software

Volition Watch has posted a new interview with art director Adam Pletcher of Volition, who recently just finished up work on their 3D RPG Summoner. The Q&A talks a bit about the recent Playstation 2 release of the game, as well as the possibility of a sequel. Here's a clip:

Do you think the Summoner team will immediately begin on a sequel for the Summoner franchise, or will they start on something new?

Sadly, I can't really discuss specifics, but we are interested in doing a sequel. When and if that starts, and when we take on other projects is something I can't really elaborate on right now.

After reading through the Q&A, head over to GameSpot and have a look at their 10 new screen shots of the game in action. It's looking very good, and we can't wait to see it on a Mac soon.

The Mac and PC versions of Summoner are set to be released early next year and will include a multiplayer mode not found in the PS2 game. We recently chatted with Summoner programmer Mark Allender and though there's no real update on an ETA, he said work on the multiplayer is progressing well. Check out of sister site InsidePS2Games for a review of Summoner soon.

IMG has posted a preview of Simon and Schuster's third-person Star Trek adventure game, DS9: The Fallen. You are cast as Benjamin Sisko, Kira, and Worf, as you attempt to foil the Pah-wraiths' attempt to take over the Alpha Quadrant. Here is a clip about the game's characters and gameplay:

In an obvious attempt to give themselves a massive headache, The Collective decided to make each character's experience different, yet still stay true to the overall arc of the story. While it may have been a pain to implement, it's a treat to play and should really give The Fallen a degree of replayability not seen in other single-player titles. More than just a few different levels, each character actually has a different style of play. Worf will be literally hacking his way through the enemy-filled levels with his Bat'leth while Kira requires a bit more gray matter to navigate through puzzles. Sisko, being the well-balanced captain he is, strikes more of an equilibrium between action and adventure in the game. Their respective paths will diverge, only to cross again more than once, making it fun to try out the game from the three angles. All of this is being done in the 3rd person perspective, so you can watch your respective character's movements and animations.

Two very popular Mac open-source project sites have had major updates recently. Aleph One, the Marathon Evolves page, has undergone a major site-wide facelift, adding and reorganizing content. It should now be much easier to get information on downloading or helping out with any of the six distributions of the Marathon source code. The Content Creation section gives users help on making new maps and scenarios for the updated engine. There is tons of great information on this page, so if you got a bit lost before, be sure to visit a second time.

Another project, the OpenGL Mac Doom Legacy site, has moved under the wing of iDevGames. This should be a little easier to remember than the old Geocities URL this site was hosted on previously. A new version of Doom Legacy is promised soon, which will fix bugs and add many features to the Mac port. There are already some new screen shots available, though the release is on hold while the author works on getting it up-to-date with the latest Windows/Linux 1.31 versions. Here's a list of a few new features: